There is an acute need for new insecticides and acaricides. Insects and mites are developing resistance to the insecticides and acaricides in current use. At least 400 species of arthropods are resistant to one or more insecticides. The development of resistance to some of the older insecticides, such as DDT, the carbamates, and the organophosphates, is well known. But resistance has even developed to some of the newer pyrethroid insecticides and acaricides. Therefore a need exists for new insecticides and acaricides, and particularly for compounds that have new or atypical modes of action.
A number of 3,5-diphenyl-1H-1,2,4-triazole derivatives have been described in the literature as having acaricidal activity. U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,951; JP 8092224, EP572142, JP 08283261. To applicants knowledge, however, none of these compounds has become a commercial product. Nitro furanyl triazoles are described by L. E. Benjamin and H. R. Snyder as antimicrobials (J. Heterocyclic Chem. 1976, 13, 1115) and by others as antibacterials (J. Med. Chem. 1973, 16(4), 312-319; J. Med. Chem. 1974, 17(7), 756-758). The present invention provides novel compounds with commercial level activity against mites and insects.